Brace



April 21, 11936.. J. w. BUMGARDNER 2,937,877 I} BRACE Filed Sept. 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WEN W446 I I Patented Apr. 21, 1936 PATENT OFFICE BRACE John William Bumgardner, Wheeling, W. Va., as- I signor to Warwood Tool Company, Wheeling, W. Va., a corporation of West Virginia Application September 5, 1934, Serial No. 742,824

2 Claims.

The invention relates to a brace for augers and the like and more particularly to a breast auger for mining coal.

An object of the invention is to provide a brace 0f the above type wherein the hand grip thereon is provided with means for protecting the thumb, forefinger and fleshy parts of the hand therebetween of the operator from possible injury when the brace is in use.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved brace for augers.

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View taken through the improved hand grip and showing a portion of the bar on which the hand grip is mounted.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing a. slightly modified form of collar used for spacing the hand grip from the bend in the brace bar- Figure 3a. is a section on the line 3a3a of Figure 3.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing a different type of collar used for spacing the hand grip from the bend in the brace bar.

Figure- 5 is a sectional view takenon the line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a similar view to Figure 2 showing a slight modification of hand grip.

Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

The invention relates to a breast auger brace for mining coal. The brace is of usual form and is preferably forged from a one-piece bar of metal which is round in cross-section. The brace bar is bent intermediate its ends to form an offset crank portion which is parallel to the axis of the brace bar. At one end of the brace bar is attached a breast plate of usual construction, while the opposite end is adapted to receive a suitable drill or auger. A sleeve is mounted free to rotate on the offset crank portion which forms a swivel hand grip for turning the brace. The hand grip is provided with a laterally projecting flange at the thrust end thereof against which the hand of the operator may be pressed during the turning of the brace. The flange is of sufficient diameter to protect the thumb, forefinger and fleshy part of the hand therebetween of the operator against possible injury when the brace is in use. A fixed collar is mounted adjacent the flanged end of the hand grip against the face of which the hand grip bears when the brace is rotated, thereby preventing the grip from sticking or binding where the bend in the offset crank portion occurs.

' Referring more in detail to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a forged brace bar is indicated at 2 which is bent to form. an offset 5 crank portion 3. This crank portion 3 is parallel to the axis of the brace bar 2 and is offset by the integral arms 4 and 4' as shown in the drawings. The invention as here shown is directed to a breast auger for mining coal, a breast plate 10 5 being attached to one end of the brace while the other end is adapted to receive a drill or auger 6. A sleeve 1 is mounted for free rotation onthe offset crank portion which forms a swivel hand grip.

The sleeve which forms the hand grip is provided at its thrust end With an integral laterally extending flange 8 against which the hand of the operator may be pressed during the turning of the brace. The flange 8 is of sufficient diameter 20 as to protect thethumb, forefinger and fleshy parts of the hand therebetween of the operator from possible injury when the brace is in use.

In order to prevent binding or sticking of the sleeve as the brace is turned, the inside diameter thereof is sufiiciently large to insure free rotation on the offset portion 3", and the distance between the bends in the arms 4 and 4' which defines the offset portion is greater than the length of the sleeve. Further means for preventing 30 binding of the sleeve is provided by the collar 9 which spaces the flanged end of the sleeve from the bend in the crank arm 4 where the forward thrust of the operator bears.

In the preferred form of the invention as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the collar 9 is shaped so that it may be shrunk onto the brace bar and thus fixedly secured thereto. This collar has a rounded face against which the flanged end of the hand grip bears so as to reduce to a minimum the frictional resistance for the free rotation of the hand grip. It will be noted that the collar is spaced a sufficient distance from the arm 4' so that in bending the brace bar a very sharp right angle bend is not necessary. It is understood of course that this collar instead of being heated and shrunk Onto the brace bar may be rigidly attached thereto in any other well known way.

In Figures 3, 4 and 5 there is shown a collar which may be freely slipped onto the brace bar and which is provided with means cooperating with the brace bar so as to hold it from rotation thereon. In Figure 3, the collar 9' is shown as having a groove formed therein which in crosssection fits the arm 4 of the brace. This collar at its inner face is provided with an annular groove II] which forms spaced annular bearing surfaces against which the flange 8 bears. This inner face of the collar 9' is of sufficient extent so that when the hand grip is pressed againstthe collar it will be forced against the arm 4' and this will provide a bearing surface on which the hand grip is free to rotate, while the collar 10 itself is held from rotation through its connection with the arm 4'.

In Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings there is shown a further modified form of construction for holding the collar in a fixed position on the brace rod and for preventing the rotation thereof. The collar is indicated at 9". The face of the collar which contacts with the flanged end of the sleeve is rounded, as indicated at H, in order to reduce the friction between the two parts;

and. the metal in the region of the bend in the crank arm 4 is upset to form holding and supporting burrs or lugs I2 which will bear against the collar and hold it in fixed relation to the rotation of the brace.

In Figures 6 and '7 a further modification of the invention is illustrated. In this form of the invention, the collar is dispensed with and the flange 8 is extended outwardly to form an integral ring or hub I3, the face of which contacts with the arm 4 at a point substantially removed from the bend therein. The bore of the sleeve at the flanged end is also flared outwardly to conform with the bend in the crank arm as indicated at M so that as the face of the hub bears against 5 the crank arm, the sleeve will be free to rotate,

the only restriction being the narrow bearing of the hub against the crank arm.

From the above it will be noted that an improved hand grip for brace augers has been produced wherein the operators hand in all forms of the invention is adequately protected from being pinched between the end of the sleeve which forms the hand grip and the bend in the brace bar. As is often the case in mining, the hand becomes wet and slippery or the drill hits a soft spot in the coal and there is a sudden forward jolting which might cause the operators hand to slip and be pinched between the sleeve and the crank arm. It is to this end to prevent injury to the hand that the improved hand grip has been devised, the protective flange on the thrust end thereof preventing the operators hand from becoming injured. 5

While the flange is shown as formed as an integral part of the hand grip, it will be understood that it may be made separate and attached thereto. It is also obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts 10 may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patl5 ent, is:

1. A brace for augers and the like comprising a brace bar bent intermediate its ends to form an offset portion, a sleeve mounted for free rotation on said offset portion forming a hand grip, said 20 sleeve having a laterally projecting flange at the thrust end thereof against which the operators hand may be pressed, a collar mounted in fixed relation to the brace bar between the sleeve and the bend in the brace bar against the face of 25 which the flanged end of the sleeve may be free to rotate, said flange being so dimensioned as to project beyond said collar and protect the thumb, forefinger and fleshy part of the hand therebetween from injury during the turning of the brace. 30

2. A brace for angers and the like comprising a brace bar bent intermediate its ends to form an offset portion, a sleeve mounted for free rotation on said offset portion forming a hand grip, said sleeve having a laterally projecting flange at the 35 thrust end thereof against which the operators hand may be pressed, said flange being so dimensioned as to protect the thumb, forefinger and fleshy parts of the hand therebetween from injury during turning of the brace, and a collar sur- 4() rounding the offset portion of the brace bar and secured against endwise movement thereon, said collar having a rounded face against which said sleeve bears, said collar being of less diameter than the flange. 45

JOHN WILLIAM BUMGARDNER. 

